E71 - Building Resilient Founders | Mark Phillips

The Kingdom Investor

In this episode of the Kingdom Investor podcast, host Daniel White interviews Mark Phillips, the Founder and Managing Partner of 11 Tribes Ventures. Mark shares his passion for empowering purpose-driven entrepreneurs to build thriving businesses and transform communities while avoiding burnout. He discusses the unique approach of 11 Tribes Ventures in investing not only in business models but also in the development of entrepreneurial resilience. Mark highlights the importance of aligning business outcomes with founder outcomes and shares insights into their thesis and strategies. He also emphasizes the significance of integrating biblical truth into the business world in a way that resonates with everyone. The interview provides valuable insights into the venture capital industry and the vision behind 11 Tribes Ventures.
Key Points:
- 11 Tribes Ventures is a venture capital firm focused on empowering purpose-driven entrepreneurs and building resilient founders.
- The firm allocates 2% of every invested dollar directly to founders for investing in their entrepreneurial resilience.
- Their approach aims to align business outcomes and founder outcomes, emphasizing both financial success and personal fulfillment.
- 11 Tribes Ventures is geographically strategic, targeting competitive geographies such as Chicago, Lexington, Atlanta, Nashville, and Austin.
- The firm's venture partners platform connects experienced entrepreneurs with portfolio companies to provide guidance and support.
- Mark shares his personal investment in his relationship with Jesus Christ as the greatest investment he has made, shaping his values and guiding his journey.
- He envisions breaking down the sacred and secular divide, integrating biblical truth into the marketplace and seeing business as a mission field.
Key Quotes:
- "Healthy founders, healthy returns. It's that simple."
- "We want to be remembered for someone that loved God and loved others."
- "If my son got up at my funeral and said, 'Hey, I want you to know that my father was consistent, present, and loving,' that would mean the world to me."
- "The sacred and secular divide is a lie. The marketplace is a mission field."
- "I hope to see a world where biblical truth is integrated into every aspect of business and is received by anyone who hears it."
Abour Mark Phillips
Mark is an action-oriented strategist with a strong track record working with teams of all sizes, from pre-seed startups to multi-national corporations.

Before launching 11 Tribes Ventures, Mark was a management consultant, focused on M&A between corporations and growth stage startups. He advised on deals totaling more than $750M, actively supporting clients throughout the due diligence and post-merger integration processes.

Mark earned his MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, focusing heavily on entrepreneurial finance and strategic management. He is an adjunct professor of finance at his alma mater, Wheaton College.

He lives in the Chicago suburbs with his wife Emily and their two boys.